Celtic have reportedly entered the race for Sandefjord defender Zinedin Smajlović, but the most interesting part of the story may be why several European clubs appear to want him.
The 22-year-old has already logged 897 league minutes this season and, when multiple clubs from strong European leagues are tracking the same player, it is usually worth asking why.
In Smajlović’s case, the underlying numbers offer Celtic supporters a pretty clear answer.
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According to Norwegian journalist Eirik Nesset Hjelvik, Celtic are among the clubs showing interest in the Sandefjord centre-back as the Norwegian side prepare for what could become the biggest sale in their history.
In fact, Hjelvik goes even further in his report on TV2 and says, “TV 2 knows that major clubs Celtic, Toulouse and Feyenoord have all contacted Sandefjord to be updated on the situation surrounding the 22-year-old.
“The interest is so concrete that Sandefjord expects bids for the stopper profile in the near future.”
That interest alone does not guarantee a move will happen, but it does indicate Smajlović is attracting attention well beyond Norway.
Feyenoord have built a strong reputation for identifying young talent before their value explodes, while Toulouse have increasingly targeted players with significant development potential.
The fact Celtic are being mentioned alongside those clubs suggests Smajlović is firmly on the radar of several respected recruitment departments.
Celtic supporters can see exactly why from Smajlović’s statistics
The figures suggest Celtic are looking at a defender who is far more than a traditional stopper.
The most impressive aspect of Smajlović’s profile is how comfortable he appears in possession. He has completed 83.2% of his passes this season while also recording a strong 59.6% accuracy rate on long balls.
His willingness to carry possession is equally notable. An 81.2% dribble success rate is an outstanding figure for a central defender and points towards a player who is comfortable progressing the ball rather than simply recycling it.
Defensively, there is plenty to like as well. Smajlović has registered 103 defensive actions, 82 recoveries and 60 clearances. Perhaps most encouragingly, he has only been dribbled past seven times in 897 minutes of league football.
There is one area where improvement is still needed. His aerial duel success rate stands at 58.1%, which is solid rather than dominant. Given the physical nature of Scottish football, that is a statistic Celtic supporters would understandably scrutinise.
His passing and ball-carrying numbers are arguably more impressive than his aerial statistics, suggesting his biggest strengths lie in possession rather than physical dominance.
Even so, the overall profile is that of a modern centre-back. He looks comfortable on the ball, capable of defending aggressively and young enough to improve further.
One independent scouting report from Futbird recently described Smajlović as a “very modern centre-half” because of his composure and progressive passing.
If Celtic’s interest is genuine, the numbers suggest they have identified a player with significant potential rather than simply another name on a transfer shortlist.
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